Automatic dishwashing machine with a plurality of wash chambers



w. HERTEL 3,217,721

AUTOMATIC DISHWASHING MACHINE WITH A PLURALITY OF WASH CHAMBERS Nov. 16, 1965 Filed Nov. 22, 1963 United States Patent 3,217,721 AUTOMATIC DISHWASHING MACHINE WITH A PLURALITY F WASH CHAMBERS Wilhelm Hertel, Traunreut, Germany, assignor to Siemens-Eiectrogeriite Aktiengesellschait, Berlin,

Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Nov. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 326,330 Claims priority, application Germany, Jan. 5, 1963,

8 Claims. 21. 134-58) My invention relates to an automatic dishwashing machine which is provided with a plurality of wash chambers or spaces.

In order to carry out a complete wash cycle in an automatic dishwashing machine, a specific amount of wash Water, electrical energy for heating the water, and of washing agents, is needed. These quantities determine the cost of a washing process or cycle, and the amount of cost is naturally directly proportionate to the size of the wash chamber of the automatic washing machine.

In order to reduce these costs, the wash chamber can be divided into two separate chambers or even more, if necessary. The possibility is then presented of using only one of the separate wash chambers alone, so that unnecessary expenses can be avoided when a single wash chamber is adequate for washing the dishes.

A further saving in expenses is possible due to the fact that the articles to be washed that are placed in the separate wash chambers generally have diflFerent degrees of soiling. When several wash chambers are provided, it is then expedient to separate the articles that are to be Washed in accordance with the extent to which they are soiled and distribute them accordingly in the separate wash chambers. For example, slightly soiled dishes such as cups and saucers and glasses can be disposed in one wash chamber and greatly soiled kitchen dishes, for example pots, can be disposed in a second or additional chamber.

The expenses for the complete washing cycle or process can be further reduced in this case in that the draining water or the soapy wash water can be conducted out of the first wash chamber in turn to the next wash chamber for further utilization. The cost of washing agents and especially of electrical energy for heating the water is thereby considerably economized. Besides the foregoing, the subdivision of the washer housing into several individual Wash chambers oifers the advantage that automatic dishwashers can thus be provided also in small kitchens in which the large upright appliances cannot usually be arranged.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide an automatic dishwashing machine with a plurality of wash chambers which will avoid the disadvantages of previously known dishwashing machines and which will substantially reduce the cost of operation.

With the above and other related objects in view and in accordance with a feature of my invention, I provide an automatic dishwashing machine having a plurality of wash chambers with control valves or fluid flow control switches in the supply or drain pipes that lead to the one wash chamber, which are joined by connector conduits with the other wash chamber that is provided with its own drain conduit. Moreover a central switch can be provided for adjusting the control valves mechanically and/or electrically. In accordance with another feature of my invention, the switch can have operative positions in which the first wash chamber is used alone, the second wash chamber is used alone, and both wash chambers are used together in fluid flow parallel arrangement.

In accordance with a further feature of my invention, the valves are at least partly magnetically operated.

If it is necessary to divide the washer housing into more than two separate wash chambers, the invention can also be employed to advantage when modified accordingly. Thus the central switch can be provided with a correspondingly greater number of switch positions.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention, however, both as to its construction and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the single figure of the accompanying drawing, in which there is shown a partly structural and partly schematic view of an automatic dishwashing machine with two wash chambers and having a conduit and wash-chamber system arranged with a central switch in accordance with my invention.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a wash chamber A to which there is connected an inlet or supply duct or conduit 3 provided with a control valve 1 and a drain or discharge duct or conduit 4 provided with a discharge pump P and a control valve 2. A second wash chamber B is connected between a branch supply conduit 5 which branches from the supply duct 3 and a branch discharge duct or conduit 6 which branches from the discharge duct 4. The Wash chamber B is also provided with a dis charge duct or conduit 7 which discharges into the discharge conduit 4. The discharge pump P is installed at a predetermined location in the discharge conduit 4 of the wash chamber A and, correspondingly, a discharge pump P is located in the discharge conduit 7 of the wash chamber B.

A central switch S is employed for controlling the controllable valves 1 and 2. The control of these valves can be eifected mechanically and/ or electrically. It can also be of advantage for this purpose to construct the controllabe valves 1 and 2 as magnetically operated valves.

In special cases, the central switch S can be provided with less than the five positions shown in the figure, if all of the possible combinations or alternative connections are not to be utilized. On the other hand, more than five positions can also be provided if more than two individual wash chambers are included in the automatic dishwashing machine and thereby a larger number of possible combinations are available.

The switch S also serves simultaneously to advantage for, depending on its manner of operation, mechanically or electrically actuating a programming switch mechanism (not shown in the drawings), which in accordance with the selected washer programming, in turn controls the water inlet, the circulation of the Wash water, its drain or discharge, and so forth, at predetermined intervals.

Dishes that are only slightly soiled, such as plates, cups and saucers, glasses and the like, are disposed in the separate wash chamber A. Contrarily, the wash chamber B contains pots which generally have a relatively great degree of soiling, particularly from burnt-in foods.

The central switch S has five positions including an off position. The broken lines 8 and 9 represent mechanically and/ or electrically operated means such as are well known in the art by which the switch S can control the controllable valves 1 and 2 in the inlet and outlet conduits 3 and 4, respectively, leading to the wash chamber A. The illustrated automatic dishwashing machine operates by so-called wash-water circulation, i.e. during a washing cycle, circulating pump U for wash chamber A and circulating pump U for wash chamber B return the wash water accumulating in the lower portion of the wash chambers to the spray systems 10 and 11 of the wash chambers A and B, respectively. In the fresh-water supply conduits 3, 5 to the wash chambers, additional magnetic valves 12 for wash chamber A and 13 for wash chamber B are built in. They are also actuated at predetermined intervals by the programming switch mechanism in accordance with the desired washing program.

The following function table shows the functions of valves 1 and 2 adjusted by the central switch S from which the direction of wash-water flow through the valves is apparent:

The arrows in the foregoing table indicate the flow direction taken by the wash water through control valve 1 at the intersection of ducts 3 and and through control valve 2 at the intersection of ducts 4 and 6, as shown in the figure. Thus, for example, in the series position of the central switch, the control valves 1 and 2 are adjusted to provide flow of wash water from the supply duct 3 through wash chamber A, branch discharge duct 6, wash chamber B and out through discharge duct 7 and the lower end of discharge duct 4. There is no wash-water flow through branch supply duct 5 or through that part of discharge duct 4 which extends between the control valve 2 and the junction between discharge duct 7 and discharge duct 4.

The valves 1 and 2 have only predetermined functions. The valves 12 and 13 are controlled during the programmed cycle at predetermined intervals by the switching of the programming switch mechanism in accordance with the washing program and also according to the amount of water changes, as are also the circulating pumps U and U and the discharge pumps P and P While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an automatic dishwashing machine with a plurality of washing chambers, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An automatic dishwashing machine comprising at least two wash chambers: a supply duct connected to one of said wash chambers; a supply duct branch connected between said supply duct and another of said wash chambers; first control valve means in said supply duct having a plurality of settings for directing the flow of a supply of wash water selectively together and individually through said supply duct and supplyduct branch downstream from said first control valve means to said wash chambers; a first discharge duct for discharging wash water from the dishwashing machine, said first discharge duct extending from said One wash chamber; a discharge duct branch connected between said first discharge duct and said other wash chamber; second control valve means in said first discharge duct having a plurality of settings for directing the discharge of wash water selectively together and individually downstream from said second control valve means through said first discharge duct from the dishwashing machine and through said discharge duct branch to said other wash chamber; and a second discharge duct extending from said other wash chamber for discharging wash water therefrom.

2. An automatic dishwashing machine according to claim 1 comprising a discharge pump provided in each of said discharge ducts.

3. An automatic dishwashing machine according to claim 1 comprising central switch means connected to the control valve means in said supply duct and in said first discharge duct for selectively actuating the same.

4. An automatic dishwashing machine comprising at least two wash chambers; a supply duct connected to one of said wash chambers; a supply duct branch connected between said supply duct and another of said wash chambers; control valve means in said supply duct for selectively controlling flow of a supply of wash water through said supply duct and supply duct branch to said wash chambers; a first discharge duct extending from said one wash chamber; a discharge duct branch connected between said first discharge duct and said other wash chamber; control valve means in said first discharge duct for selectively controlling discharge of wash water through said first discharge duct and through said discharge duct branch to said other wash chamber; a second discharge duct extending from said other wash chamber for discharging wash water therefrom; and central switch means connected to the control valve means in said supply duct and in said first discharge duct for selectively actuating the same, said central switch means being adjustable to a first position in which wash water passes through said one wash chamber only, a second position in which wash water passes through said other wash chamber only, a third position in which wash water passes in parallel through both said wash chambers, and a fourth position in which wash water passes in series through both said wash chambers.

5. An automatic dishwashing machine according to claim 4, wherein said central switch means is mechanically connected to both of said control valve means.

6. An automatic dishwashing machine according to claim 4, wherein said central switch means is electrically connected to both of said control valve means.

7. An automatic dishwashing machine according to claim 4, wherein said central switch means is mechanically and electrically connected to both of said control valve means.

8. An automatic dishwashing machine according to claim 4, wherein both of said control valve means comprise magnetically operated valves.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,139,313 5/1915 Stevens 134-60 X 1,397,846 11/1921 Walker 134-60 1,485,796 3/1924 Merseles et al. 1,617,021 2/ 1927 Mitchell 134-60 2,045,890 6/1936 Uhalt et a1 134-115 X 2,691,986 10/1954 Kirby 13458 2,761,799 9/1956 Schroeder 134-115 X 2,813,534 11/1957 Low 134-57 2,971,519 2/1961 Willson 13458 FOREIGN PATENTS 544,010 11/1930 Germany.

661,187 11/1951 Great Britain.

711,191 9/1941 Germany.

1 CHARLES A. WILLMU-TH, Primary Examiner, 

1. AN AUTOMATIC DISHWASHING MACHINE COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO WASH CHAMBERS: A SUPPLY DUCT CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID WASH CHAMBERS; A SUPPLY DUCT BRANCH CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SUPPLY DUCT AND ANOTHER OF SAID WASH CHAMBERS; FIRST CONTROL VALVE MEANS IN SAID SUPPLY DUCT HAVING A PLURALITY OF SETTINGS FOR DIRECTING THE FLOW OF A SUPPLY OF WASH WATER SELECTIVELY TOGETHER AND INDIVIDUALLY THROUGH SAID SUPPLY DUCT AND SUPPLY DUCT BRANCH DOWNSTREAM FROM SAID FIRST CONTROL VALVE MEANS TO SAID WASH CHAMBERS; A FIRST DISCHARGE DUCT FOR DISCHARGING WASH WATER FROM THE DISHWASHING MACHINE, SAID FIRST DISCHARGE DUCT EXTENDING FROM SID ONE WASH CHAMBER; A DISCHARGE DUCT BRANCH CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID FIRST DISCHARGE DUCT AND SAID OTHER WASH CHAMBER; SECOND CONTROL VALVE MEANS IN SAID FIRST DISCHARGE DUCT HAVING A PLURALITY OF SETTINGS FOR DIRECTING THE DISCHARGE OF WASH WATER SELECTIVELY TOGETHER AND INDIVIDUALLY DOWNSTREAM FROM SAID SECOND CONTROL VALVE MEANS THROUGH SAID FIRST DISCHARGE DUCT FROM THE DISHWASHING MACHINE AND THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE DUCT BRANCH TO SAID OTHER WASH CHAMBER; AND A SECOND DISCHARGE DUCT EXTENDING FROM SAID OTHER WASH CHAMBER FOR DISCHARGING WASH WATER THEREFROM. 